Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo says the Blues are fully focused ahead of their Club World Cup Round of 16 tie with Benfica, stressing that no opponent will be taken lightly.
The two sides will meet on Saturday at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, with a quarter-final place at stake.
Adarabioyo, who has Nigerian roots, addressed the media before the clash and underlined the importance of maintaining respect for all competitors in the expanded tournament.
Chelsea advanced as runners-up in Group D, while Benfica stunned Bayern Munich to top Group C.
Adarabioyo dismissed suggestions that Chelsea had a favourable draw due to the Germans’ shock exit.
“No, I wouldn’t say it’s opened up a bit more. We still give Benfica that same respect we would have given any opposition and we know it’s going to be a really tough game,” he said.
He also pointed to Chelsea’s previous match against Esperance as proof that every fixture will be competitive.
“You saw (against Esperance) at times it was very tough. It was only a 3-0 win because we managed to score in additional time in the second half. It was a close game. We can’t underestimate any team.”
The centre-back, who joined from Fulham last year, also spoke about the atmosphere within the Chelsea squad, especially the support he receives from close teammate Cole Palmer. “Cole’s just one of my boys. He’s like a little brother to me,” he said.
Adarabioyo insisted Chelsea view the Club World Cup as more than just a warm-up. “We’re not treating this as a pre-season. This is just another competition… and it’s a big competition which we want to push in.”
The winner between Chelsea and Benfica will face either Palmeiras or Botafogo in the quarter-finals in Philadelphia.
